This is an archived course. A more recent version may be available at ocw.mit.edu.

 

Readings

SES # Topics Readings
1

Subject Overview;

Introduction to American Law and Intellectual Property

 
2

Introduction to American Law and Intellectual Property (continued)

Field, Thomas G., Jr. "Intellectual Property: Some Practical and Legal Fundamentals." 35 Idea--The Journal of Law and Technology 79 (1994).

3

Patents: The Statutory Framework

Patentable Subject Matter

Statutory Bars

Rights of the Patent Holder

Infringement

Title 35 of the U.S. Code (the Patent Act of 1952), sections 100, 101, 102, 103(a), 112, 154, and 271(a). (PDF)

4

Non-Obviousness

Graham v. John Deere Co. of Kansas City, 383 U.S. 1 (1966). (PDF)

5

Novelty

Structural Rubber Products v. Park Rubber, 749 F.2d 707 (Fed. Cir. 1984). (PDF - 1.8 MB)

6

Patent Protection for Software, Algorithms, and Business Methods

Gottschalk v. Benson, 409 U.S. 63 (1972). (PDF)

State Street Bank and Trust v. Signature Financial Group, 149 F.3d 1368 (Fed. Cir. 1998). (PDF - 2.2 MB)

7

The Patent Application

Scope of Claims

Sample Issued Patent

37 Code of Federal Regulations §§ 1.71-1.77 (Patent Specification). (PDF)

O'Reilly v. Morse, 56 U.S. (15 How.) 62 (1853). (PDF)

Kretchman, Len C., and David Geske. "Sealed Crustless Sandwich." U.S. Patent No. 6,004,596 (21 December 1999). (PDF)

8

Copyrights: The Statutory Framework

Copyrightable Subject Matter

Comparison with Patents

Fair Use

Title 17 of the U.S. Code (Copyright Act of 1976), sections 102, 103, 106, 106A, and 113(d)(1), then sections 107, and 506. (PDF)

Baker v. Selden, 101 U.S. 99 (1897). (PDF)

9

Merger and Scènes-à-faire;

Substantial Similarity

Morrissey v. Proctor and Gamble, 379 F.2d 675 (1st Cir. 1967). (PDF)

Selle v. Gibb, 741 F.2d 896 (7th Cir. 1984). (PDF - 2.2 MB)

10

Copyright in the Context of New Information Technologies

17 U.S.C. section 1201, created by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, subsections (a)(1)(A), (a)(2) through 1201(c), and (f) through (g)(3). (PDF)

11

Trademarks and Service Marks

Conflicts with Domain Names

King-Seeley Thermos v. Aladdin Industries, 321 F.2d 577 (2d Cir. 1963). (PDF)

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals v. Doughney, 263 F.3d 359 (4th Cir. 2001). (PDF - 1.8 MB)

12

Trade Secrets

License Agreements

Wexler v. Greenberg, 399 Pa. 569, 160 A.2d 430 (1960)

Spinello, Richard. "Whose Program is this?" In Case Studies in Information and Computer Ethics. Upper Saddle River, Conn.: Prentice Hall, 1997, pp. 132-135.

 

Additional Cases (Assigned as Student Presentations)

Diamond v. Diehr, 450 U.S. 175 (1981).

In re Grams, 888 F.2d 835 (Fed. Cir. 1989).

Arrythmia v. Corazonics, 958 F.2d 1053 (Fed. Cir. 1992).

In re Alappat, 33 F.3d 1526 (Fed.Cir. 1994).

Amazon.com, Inc. v. Barnsandnoble.com, Inc., 239 F.3d 1343 (Fed.Cir. 2001).

Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service, 499 U.S. 340 1991.

Lotus Development v. Borland International, 516 U.S. 233 (1996), affirming, per curiam (4-4), Lotus v. Borland, 49 F.3d 807 (1st Cir. 1995).

Princeton University Press v. Michigan Document Services, 99 F.3d 1381 (6th Cir. 1996).

Universal City Studios v. Reimerdes. 111 F.Supp.2d 294 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 17, 2000).

A&M Records, Inc. v. Napster, Inc., 239 F.3d 1004 (9th Cir. 2001).